Category Archives: Privacy Policy

On November 19, 2014, the Federal Trade Commission announced that it is seeking public comment on a second proposed verifiable parental consent method by AgeCheq, an online privacy protection service. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) requires children and family-friendly website operators and app developers to (1) post privacy policies and (2) notify and obtain verifiable consent from […]

Or perhaps the notices are a hoax virus– spread by friends bullying friends to spam others to show respect for the poster’s privacy and copyrights. Posting and re posting the Facebook Privacy Notice will not change Facebook’s policies. If privacy is a concern, adjust privacy settings or avoid using Facebook for private communications. If controlling content is a concern, […]

Keeping your Facebook images private is a confounding problem. Ask Mark Zuckerberg’s sister Randi who couldn’t make sense of FB’s privacy settings. Kashmir Hill, a privacy commentator at Forbes posted a funny analysis of the Zuckerberg predicament and easy to follow directions on how to adjust your settings to keep family photos more private. The settings […]

I guess we of Facebook Nation no longer “think” as one. Last week Facebook announced proposed changes to its Data Use Policy (explains collection and use of data) and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities (terms of use). As of November 28, Facebook will be able to change its policies with seven days notice to users. […]

Websites should consider treating children as an attractive nuisance. Even consider putting up fences to keep them out. The FTC is monitoring many websites that attract children (even unintentionally) for COPPA violations. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, COPPA, requires websites to obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information from kids under age 13. […]

The FTC hosted a super fascinating Twitter “conversation” following its announcement of the $22 million settlement with Google over its privacy violation in overriding the Safari browser’s privacy settings without notifying users. FTC Department of Enforcement staffers exchanged tweets with a few privacy-focused Twitter users. Many tweets focused on whether Google intentionally deceived users as to its […]

The Wall Street Journal has an article about Apps this morning. The paper has done a great job of revealing the so-called seamy underbelly of the online advertising world. Today the theme is that Facebook apps exploit users (and make Facebook million$) by collecting bits and pieces of personal data, details that alone do not […]

Cookies are one of my favorite things. Usually, this refers to the oatmeal raisin variety rather than those tiny bits of computer code that empower websites to remember a user’s login, keep items in a shopping cart and greet the user by name when she returns. Warm and fuzzy, right? Sometimes, not so much. I […]

Less than one might think. Online privacy focuses on the use of personal information and how it is contributed, collected, shared and used by the user and other people and companies providing web services. “Personally Identifiable Information” (a.k.a. “PII”) is protected by a web of laws – but non-personally identifiable information collected by many websites […]

The evolution of digital and social marketing makes it easier than ever for agencies and marketers to target consumers. But there are gaping legal pitfalls. Because of lax or downright misleading privacy policies, some of the largest online players – including Facebook, Twitter and Google – have bull’s-eyes on their backs; and the Federal Trade […]

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What do you get when three engineers, two musicians, and an artist are admitted to the bar? Ober|Kaler‘s seriously multi-talented intellectual property practice and insightful bloggers on IP issues of importance to their clients in science, technology, healthcare, education, media and the arts.

Intellectual property has many facets and means different things to artists, musicians, engineers and scientists, all of whom, like it or not, are in business. The goal of our blog is to keep all types of creative thinkers up to date on the intellectual property issues that impact the business of creativity.